Successful culture of Helicobacter organisms requires the use of fresh nutrient blood agar
plates. Commercially prepared plates may work, but the freshness of these plates cannot be
controlled and they can often be too old or too dry. Additionally, they will lack the
appropriate selective antibiotics. Unless one has access to a reliable bacteriology laboratory
that can prepare fresh plates to specifications, it is better to prepare them in one’s own
laboratory. Any one of several nutrient agars recommended for growth of fastidious
organisms will work, including Columbia Agar Base, Mueller-Hinton Agar Base, and Blood
Agar Base (available from BBL, a trademark of Becton Dickinson). The important thing is
that the plates be relatively fresh and moist. When preparing the plates, let the agar harden
only until it solidifies (not overnight). If the plates are not to be used immediately, store in
sealed plastic sleeves at 4°C for no longer than 2 to 3 weeks.